Businesses should ‘obtain professional advice on redundancy’

Posted 27/08/2009

Companies planning to make redundancies should seek professional advice before informing employees of their plans, according to Work Wise UK.

The economic problems which have gripped the nation in recent months have made redundancy an all too common issue for both employers and workers.

However, what can be overlooked in times of financial difficulty is that there are strict employment law regulations relating to cutting jobs.

Many commentators expect unemployment to continue rising for the rest of 2009, despite some signs that the economy may be heading out of recession.

With that in mind, Phil Flaxton, chief executive of not-for-profit business information service Work Wise UK, urged companies to be prepared for the worst by checking the relevant employment law relating to redundancy and compromise agreements.

“I’m sure we are going to see an increase in voluntary and involuntary redundancies so I think it is vital that businesses understand their legal requirements and seek professional advice before they act,” said Mr Flaxton.

The advice is particularly relevant to small businesses which may overlook legal obligations because the owners are too busy trying to keep their company afloat, he added.